Metal forms having a particular shape for realizing suspended floors

ABSTRACT

A concrete-suspended floor construction form arranged to rest on the main beams of the suspended floor and which is formed as an inverted U-shaped member with inclined side walls having lips at their free ends for resting on the beam. The form further includes a disassembly apparatus comprising tie rods and hooks to be hooked over the lips of the form when it is desirable to remove the form after the concrete has set.

D United States Patent [151 3,674,232

Varlonga July 4, 1972 54 METAL FORMS HAVING A 938,718 11/1909 Smith ..249/24 X 1,561,187 11/1925 RIPS"... ,..,249/28 X SUSPENDED FLOORS 1,914,033 6/1933 Mlller ....249/24 3,463,441 8/1969 Basalla et a1 ..249/28 [72] Inventor: Giovanni Varlonga, Via B. Verro N. 90,

Milan, Italy 1 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Filed" June 1969 Assistant Examiner-Dewalden W. Jones [21] Appl. No.: 830,258 Attorney-Craig, Antonelli & Hill [52] US. Cl ..249/23, 52/339, 249/162, [57] ABSTRACT 249/211,25/131.5 A A concrete-suspended floor construction form arranged to [51] 1nt.Cl ..E04g 13/04 rest on the main beams of the suspended floor and which is [58] Field of Search ..249/23, 19,28, 26, 161, 162, formed as an inverted U-shaped member with inclined side 249/210, 211, 25, 24, 209; 25/118 R, 13.5 A, 131.5 walls having lips at their free ends for resting on the beam. The D; 52/338, 334, 127 form further includes a disassembly apparatus comprising tie rods and hooks to be hooked over the lips of the form when it [56] References Cited is desirable to remove the form after the concrete has set.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 4 P'A'TENTEDJUM I972 3.674.232

INVENTOR GIOVANNI VARLONGA ATTORNEYS METAL FORMS HAVING A PARTICULAR SHAPE FOR REALIZING SUSPENDED FLOORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to metal forms used in the construction of suspended floors, and more particularly, metal forms having a particular shape which simplify the construction of concrete suspended floors of the simple or reinforced type as well as concrete suspended floors with a compound structure such as brick and concrete.

In the construction of concrete suspended floors with the forms known heretofore, it has been necessary to erect temporary and complicated reinforcements to support and maintain in place the forms used. Forms used in the past were also deficient in that the compound beams and the slabs which comprise the concrete suspended floor could not be cast simultaneously. In addition, because the forms known heretofore have necessitated, the use of the complicated temporary reinforcements, the casting of the entire span of the concrete suspended floor could not be accomplished in one pouring, but to the contrary, the suspended floor had to be constructed section by section. Further, with the known forms and their reinforcing structure, the disassembly and removal of the forms after the concrete suspended floor had set was complicated and time consuming.

The present invention provides a metal form which is designed to avoid or otherwise completely eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages in known forms used in the construction of concrete suspended floors. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is the provision of a metal form of the type described wherein the fon'n is provided with a particular shape so as to permit the construction of concrete suspended floors without complicated and temporary reinforcements.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a form of the type described which is of unitary thin metal plate construction and light in weight.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a form of the type described which is supported and maintained in proper position by the main beams of the suspended floor and thus the necessity of temporary complicated reinforcements for the forms is eliminated.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a form of the type described wherein both the compound beam and the slab which comprise the suspended floor structure can be cast unitarily.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a form of the type described wherein as many forms which are required to cover the entire span of the suspended floor are arranged on the main beams so as to allow the entire span of the suspended floor to be cast in one operation.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide a form which can be quickly disassembled and easily removed so as to be used again after the casting and setting of the concrete suspended floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the metal form in accordance with the present invention comprises essentially a unitary body made of light material such as metal plate having a small thickness. When placed in position on the main beams of a suspended floor span, the form has an inverted U-shape wherein the side walls of the form rest against the lower flanges of an l-beam, or an H-beam or joist. A plurality of I-beams or joists are arranged at equal distances from each other over the entire span of the suspended floor to be constructed and of which they are to constitute the main beams or frame of the suspended floor. In this manner, the forms of the present invention are supported and maintained in place by the beams of the suspended floor which constitute then the reinforcement of the concrete suspended floor. In addition, the side walls are formed with lips which together with a tie rod arrangement allows the side walls to be drawn inwardly toward each other thus permitting the disengagement of the walls from the flanges of the beams or joists upon which they rest. Further, the side walls of the metal forms herein described are inclined so that when the forms are placed successively side-by-side on the beams chambets or grooves are left between the successive forms wherein such chambers when filled with concrete constitute the compound beams of the suspended floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description thereof when taken in combination with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective view the arrangement of the forms used in the construction of the concrete suspended floor with a portion of the concrete shown according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the arrangement as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the suspended floor under construction is comprised of the I- bearns or joists l which constitute the main frame of the suspended floor and are arranged at suitably spaced equal distances from each other so as to cover the entire span of the suspended floor. The l-beams or joists 1 have lower flanges 2 upon which the forms 3 are rested.

Each form 3 essentially comprises an inverted U-shaped metal sheet plate of small thickness and having two side walls 4 which are inclined slightly outwardly and thus divergent to one another. The ends 5 of the side walls 4 have a greater inclination outwardly than the upper portion thereof, wherein the ends 5 are mutually divergent. The ends 5 are further provided with suitable hooked-shaped lips 6 whereby the form 3 rests on the lower flanges 2 of the two adjacent beams or joists. The horizontal wall of the U-shaped form 3 is further provided, on its lower face, with stiffening ribs 8 which prevent the deformation of the horizontal wall due to the load of the concrete forming the slab 7.

The forms 3 are placed in succession on the joists l as illustrated in FIG. 1 so as to cover the entire: span of the suspended floor under construction. When so placed, due to the inclined shape of the side walls 4, the forms 3 generate chambers or grooves 9 between each other. As a result, the cast concrete 10 fills the chambers 9 and thus forms the compound beams of the suspended floor and at the same time the concrete which is cast upon the horizontal walls of the forms 3 forms the suspended floor slabs 7.

From the foregoing, it can be clearly seen that the construction of a concrete suspended floor is made noticeably easier, because it may be carried out with a single concrete casting. Although the concrete suspended floor constructed in the manner described above is of the simple type, it is readily apparent that to form a reinforced concrete or compound structure suspended floor it is only necessary that, with the forms as described, a suitable bar lattice or bricks be prearranged on the concrete side of the forms before the concrete is cast.

After the concrete has been cast and has been set, the forms can be quickly disassembled and easily removed in the following manner. Hooks 11 are placed over the lips 6 of the ends 5 of the side walls. The hooks 1 1 are connected to an end of two tie rods 12 whose other ends are connected to a control member 13 which, as seen in FIG. 2, is essentially a bent lever with a handle 14.

When it is desired to remove the forms after the concrete has set, the hooks 11 are placed over the lips 6, and an operator, upon acting on handle 14, forces the two side walls 4 of the form 3 to bend elastically toward each other so as to be disengaged from the flanges 2 of the beams or joints 1 upon which they rest. The forms 3 being freed can be used again to construct another suspended floor by simply letting the forms slide on the beams.

l have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance with the present invention. It is understood that the same is not limited thereto, but is susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art, and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intent to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

1. A suspended floor construction apparatus, for concrete suspended floors which incorporate flanged beams arranged at substantially equal increments from one another over the span of the ceiling and which constitute the main beams of the ceiling, including at least one form which comprises an inverted U-shaped member which includes a substantially horizontal wall and two side walls,

the side walls being inclined outwardly toward their free ends and being divergent to each other,

and a hook-shaped lip provided at the free ends of the side walls adapted to rest upon the flanges of the beams including a disassembly means which comprises a plurality of tie rods,

hooks connected at one end of each tie rod adapted to be placed over the lips in hooked-up relation,

and a control member operatively connected at the other ends of the tie rods to be actuated by an operator when it is desirable to disengage the form from the concrete suspended floor.

2. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped member is constructed of a thin metal plate and wherein stiffening ribs are provided on the lower face of the horizontal wall.

3. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of forms are adapted to be successively rested upon the flanged beams so as to cover the entire span of the suspended floor under construction, the spaced between adjacent forms constituting chambers which, when filled with concrete and in conjunction with the flanged beams, comprises the compound suspended floor.

4. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lips are formed on the side walls so as to face each other in opposed relation.

5. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 4, wherein l-beams constitute the flanged beams. 

1. A suspended floor construction apparatus, for concrete suspended floors which incorporate flanged beams arranged at substantially equal increments from one another over the span of the ceiling and which constitute the main beams of the ceiling, including at least one form which comprises an inverted U-shaped member which includes a substantially horizontal wall and two side walls, the side walls being inclined outwardly toward their free ends and being divergent to each other, and a hook-shaped lip provided at the free ends of the side walls adapted to rest upon the flanges of the beams including a disassembly means which comprises a plurality of tie rods, hooks connected at one end of each tie rod adapted to be placed over the lips in hooked-up relation, and a control member operatively connected at the other ends of the tie rods to be actuated by an operator when it is desirable to disengage the form from the concrete suspended floor.
 2. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped member is constructed of a thin metal plate and wherein stiffening ribs are provided on the lower face of the horizontal wall.
 3. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of forms are adapted to be successively rested upon the flanged beams so as to cover the entire span of the suspended floor under construction, the spaced between adjacent forms constituting chambers which, when filled with concrete and in conjunction with the flanged beams, comprises the compound suspended floor.
 4. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lips are formed on the side walls so as to face each other in opposed relation.
 5. A suspended floor construction apparatus according to claim 4, wherein I-beams constitute the flanged beams. 